Saved 228 Gallons of Gas in a Day and a Half!

[Dave Smith]

As of yesterday, May 7th, 2015, Factory Five Racing’s solar array is fully functional! The system that we have installed over the last few months is a 181 kWh array of over 600 solar panels. In the first day of operation, the system produced more power than we used! That means that every single Factory Five chassis is welded with 100% renewable power from the sun. How cool is that?!

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Left to Right: Sandra, Nate, Jesper, the electrician Steve, and Dave Smith.

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Above: The solar panels are on the southwest-facing roof surface.

Below: You can logon to the SolrenView website (http://www.solrenview.com/SolrenView/mainFr.php?siteId=3309) at any time to see what our actual solar power production is! Yesterday, we generated 1,135 kWh of energy! Our company average usage is about 800 kWh per day.

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In less than 2 days, our solar system saved over 228 gallons of gasoline, could have charged nearly half a million smartphones, and saved more than 2 tons of carbon emissions!

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Sandra DeBurgo in Accounting did all the legwork on the financing of the $400,000 system, so she had the honor of turning on the power for the first time!

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Steve from the electrical contractor stepped the crew through the operations of the inverters and emergency shut down procedures. The inverters work to convert the DC-power from the solar cells on the roof to AC-power that is supplied to the building with excess going to the electrical grid.

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People sometimes think of hot rodders as not being environmentally minded. This couldn’t be further from the truth, and now Factory Five can proudly say that our operation’s electrical consumption is carbon-neutral and derives from solar power.

[Dave Smith]

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If you use a donor car, the Factory Five you build will be crafted with renewable power and powered by re-purposed running gear!

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The DC-power inverters occupy a very small space next to the main electrical company transformer along the side of the building.

[68GT500MAN]

This is totally awesome! Now the power of the sun is helping people all over the world build their dream.
Doug

[longislandwrx]

that pitch is pretty small, when it snows, will you clear off the panels?

[R Thomas]

Must be nice selling power back to the local power company. Hope it works well thru your tough winters. This kind of forward thinking is exactly what keeps Factory Five Cars on top of the market. Great products and innovation top to bottom you should be truly proud.

[Gumball]

I always tell everyone that I built my own "green" car... now it's even more true!

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/Avon%20Tires%20on%20FFR_zpsifbp7kd2.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/Avon%20Tires%20on%20FFR_zpsifbp7kd2.jpg.html)

[Gumball]

Oops - double post!

[idoxlr8]

I've always considered my roadster a hybrid since it burns both gas and rubber:o

[Vman7]

OW!!!! Now you're Walking on Sunshine!!!!!:cool::D:)

Well done Dave and all at FFR :)

I know this song has nothing to really do with actual sunshine, but it sure is uplifting and makes you feel good.

Katrina & the Waves - Walking on Sunshine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-87SJXMpRfE

I changed the chorus lyrics (not in the video) to reflect FFR

Oh, yeah, now we're walking on sunshine, whoa
FFR walking on sunshine, whoa
we're walking on sunshine, whoa
And don't it feel good
Hey, all right now
And don't it feel good
Yeah, oh, yeah, now
And don't it feel good

Walking on sunshine
Walking on sunshine


David

[RM1SepEx]

that pitch is pretty small, when it snows, will you clear off the panels?

I've been running numbers for my 23 degree roof, since you get less sun in the winter and net metering averages output through the year (trading excess KWH generated during the summer for those used when solar output is lower) having periods where they are covered isn't as big an issue as you would think. The power conversion etc is only about 16% eff. so quite a bit of the solar energy is still exhibited as heat that will assist clearing the panels.

[ehansen007]

So awesome. Both Doug and I are installing ours now! Any plans for a battery system?